Top 10 Shocking Moments in Horror Movies

“The Invisible Man” (2020)

The “Invisible Man” reimagining from 2020 did a lot of things right when it came to updating a classic horror story. Themes of gaslighting, manipulation and domestic violence were all fair game here, and the execution of these themes almost certainly came to a head during the restaurant scene. Here, a troubled and tormented Cecilia is attempting to confide in her sister Emily in a busy, public location. There’s a disturbing parallel between the efforts some victims put into distancing themselves from their abuser and the goals Cecilia has for this meeting. Then, Cecilia’s ex, Adrian, who’s now invisible, strikes with shocking and sudden violence and attacks Emily. It’s a moment that makes the audience (and us) jump with shock and fear.

“The Descent” (2005)

There’s a lot of slow build within 2005’s “The Descent.” Director Neil Marshall perfectly makes us wait for the moment when the subterranean crawlers make their first appearance. In fact, we’re so unaware by the scene that we always forget exactly the whereabouts of that pesky jump scare! This speaks volumes to how well Marshall writes his characters, how much we care about what happens to them, and how they will (hopefully) make it out alive. Don’t get us wrong, the crawlers are absolutely badass, but “The Descent” honestly would’ve been great simply working as a claustrophobic, underground thriller.

“Scanners” (1981)

Yes, we realize that statement is a bit hyperbolic, but honestly, can you blame us? Everyone of a certain age remembers where they were the first time this groundbreaking effect from David Cronenberg’s “Scanners” assaulted their eyeballs. It’s a scene that not only sets up the universe of these “scanners” and their telekinetic strengths, but also succeeds to further the special effects medium as a whole. Michael Ironside’s Darryl Revok is a villain for the ages, a malevolent force that’s out to be the top scanner… at any cost. His powers are so great, in fact, that he’s able to mentally punish a fellow scanner with such intensity that the latter’s head explodes with a ferocity that needs to be seen to be believed.

“Don’t Look Now” (1973)

“Don’t Look Now,” and indeed the cinema of director Nicolas Roeg as a whole, has a lot of things to say that go beyond the realms of horror. Grief, trauma and guilt all come into play with this film’s story of parents whose moment of distraction results in the tragic death of their daughter. The rest of “Don’t Look Now” deals primarily with the aftermath of this accident, as well as the couple’s determination to contact the presence of their child. As a result, the film’s ending comes COMPLETELY out of left-field, as the father, John, is murdered by a dwarven serial killer. The fact that John’s murderer is wearing a coat similar to that of his daughter only adds to this moment’s memorable execution.

“Poltergeist” (1982)

1982’s “Poltergeist,” for many, serves as a great entryway into the world of horror. It’s frightening and tense, but not quite graphic enough to traumatize younger kids seeking to dip their toes into some heavier stuff. Well… perhaps with one exception. The scene where parapsychologist Marty is looking into a mirror gets freaky when he starts peeling his skin away, bit by bit! The moment is one that could’ve ONLY taken place within an “eighties PG” rated film, and in fairness, Marty happens to be hallucinating the incident. However, fans probably never forgot the shock this scene gave them when they first watched it back in ‘82.

“The Thing” (1982)

Director John Carpenter inserted a lot of “I can’t believe they just did that” moments into his reimagining of “The Thing from Another World” back in 1982. Now titled simply “The Thing,” Carpenter’s vision provides a nightmarish vision of a creature that can infiltrate, assimilate and mimic just about anything… with spectacularly grotesque results. The blood test scene does a great job at showcasing how subtlety covert this “thing” can be while hiding. Additionally, the scene where using a defibrillator goes horribly wrong has entered the annals of moviemaking history. It’s such a special effect shock to see the stomach of crew member Norris turn into a giant mouth with sharp teeth. The shock that still gets our goat, so many years later.

“The Mist” (2007)

It was the horror movie ending that shocked a generation. The ending of writer-director Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novella “The Mist.” King’s original work didn’t choose to go the downer ending route, but Darabont, with the author’s blessing, decided to go full 1970s with this one. That decade saw many American films choosing to present more realistic, and not necessarily satisfying, endings to their stories, and “The Mist” is DEFINITELY cut from that cloth. How else could it justify the decision to have Thomas Jane’s David commit an act of murderous mercy in a car… only for help to arrive moments later? It’s a shock that continues to reverberate throughout horror fandom, and it probably always will.

“Alien” (1979)

We realize that some of these moments possess a “you had to have been there” sensibility to them, but the act of an alien chestburster scene is just still so freakin’ cool, man… even so many years removed from the OG. Veronica Cartwright’s shocked expression and reaction just sort of says it all, really. She was NOT ready for what was about to happen to her costar, John Hurt, and neither was the audience. It’s a violent moment that not only tells us what the aliens are capable of, but also how they breed and what lengths they will go to ensure that THEY remain the apex, interstellar predators.

“The Exorcist” (1973)

Will rumors about “The Exorcist,” and the legacy of its release, ever stop swirling within the horror movie zeitgeist? We’re not sure, and we’re also not sure if we want it to, either; not with shocking moments like this one. Horror cinema wasn’t exactly too far removed from the atomic-age creature features of the 1950s when “The Exorcist” was released in 1973. Audiences frankly had a difficult time accepting the level of blasphemous violence on display here, particularly involving such a young actor. The image of Regan MacNeil burying a crucifix deep within her body in such a visceral and bloody fashion is upsetting to some, evil to others and thoroughly important to horror cinema’s progression as an artform.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Brutal & Unexpected

We STILL Wince

Self-Destruction for the Antichrist

Fresh Meat for the Slaughterhouse

Reach Out, Touch Death

“Psycho” (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock’s reputation as the “Master of Suspense” is definitely well-earned, as evidenced by the fact that movies like “Psycho” continue to top lists like this one. Hitchcock managed to influence many young filmmakers in the wake of this film’s bait-and-switch shower murder of Marion Crane. The shower scene’s setup, execution and legacy was as such that Hitch and “Psycho” would go on to inspire not only Italy’s giallo cycle of murder-mysteries, but even the American slasher movie. Furthermore, the scene serves as a turning point in the film, a shocking death of a character we’ve been following up until this point, and the beginning of “Psycho’s” second half. It’s timeless stuff.